5 Reasons Your Hygienist Might Want to See You More Often

According to the American Dental Association, you should “visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral examination.”  Insurance plans often cover two cleanings and checkups per calendar year.  So, why would your hygienist recommend anything different? 1.  Infection Control Your mouth contains thousands of bacteria and over half of Americans have gum disease.  Bleeding […]

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The Complicated World of Mouth Bacteria

A single tooth can have up to 500 million germs on its surface.  Here are a few interesting facts about dental bacteria. Happy Birthday Although you are not born with mouth bacteria, the introduction to them happens very rapidly.  Sharing silverware and glasses, putting hands and feet in your mouth, and even getting kisses from […]

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Tools of the Trade for My Dental Hygienist

Besides a keen pair of eyes and steady hands, dental hygienists have quite a few not-so-secret weapons available to make your visits productive and comfortable. Sphygmomanometers and Stethoscopes It’s fitting that these life saving devices are given ridiculously unpronounceable names!  A blood pressure cuff and counterpart are incredibly important tools that your hygienist should be […]

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The Dental Benefits of Water

Staying hydrated helps our organs work properly, lowers blood pressure, fends off headaches and can increase your memory and mood.  Did you also know all of the dental benefits associated with drinking water? Battles Dry Mouth A leading cause of xerostomia (dry mouth) is dehydration.  This very serious condition greatly increases a person’s risk for […]

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What’s in That White Dental Filling?

Otherwise known as tooth colored fillings, resin, bonding, plastic, composites or non-metal fillings, these beautiful alternatives to gold and metal are the most common type of dental procedure used to fix decay and broken teeth.  You may have wondered what they are made of so here’s a quick explanation. Glass, Quartz or Porcelain This may […]

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Toothache or Sinus Infection?

Sinus pressure can cause discomfort around the roots of your teeth.  Problematic teeth can also stir up some pretty awful sensations that mimic a sinus infection.  So, how do you know where the pain is coming from? Weather Reports A quick look at the radar may help some chronic allergic types know if changes in […]

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Stick Your Tongue Out

Have you ever wondered why your dentist grabs your tongue with gauze or asks you to stick it out?  Believe it or not, your tongue can tell us quite a bit about your health and habits. Color When it comes to tongues, you basically want some variation of pink.  Yellow usually means that there’s some […]

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Rehabilitating The Completely Edentulous Patient

For patients, having to deal with dentures can be a hard time, especially if they feel discomfort with denture bases, have poor retention or difficulty chewing and when using unnatural-fitting dentures. Rehabilitating these completely edentulous patients can be very challenging for any person in the restorative dentistry, but it can also be the most rewarding […]

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Oral Cancer Screenings and What They Mean To You

According to The Oral Cancer Foundation, well over 40,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year.  Dental health care professionals are often the first ones to see the disease. Here’s how oral cancer screenings by our office could save your life. Frequent flyers When you come in for routine visits, we are […]

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